Bangladesh situation a 'major area of concern’ for US: Tulsi Gabbard

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard today said the situation in Bangladesh is a "major area of concern" for the United States, citing the persecution of religious minorities.

Asked about the situation in Bangladesh in an interview with NDTV World, she said, "The long-time unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities—Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Catholics, and others—have been a major area of concern for the US government, President Trump and his administration."

"The talks are just beginning between President Trump's new cabinet coming in and the Government of Bangladesh but this continues to remain a central focus area of concern," she said.

Then she remarked, "The threat of Islamist terrorists, and their overall effort, the global effort of all of these different groups, are rooted in the same ideology and objective — which is to rule or govern with an Islamist Caliphate.”

"This obviously affects people of any other religion, other than the one that they find acceptable, and they chose to carry this out with terror and very violent ways and means."

She further said, "President Trump remains committed to identifying the ideology that drives Islamist terrorism, and working to defeat this ideology and their ability to exact that terror on people, the American people and others."

Gabbard's remarks came a day after she, along with Britain's National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell and New Zealand's intelligence chief Andrew Hampton, attended a security conference in New Delhi.